Chapter XXXIV: Front Matter (34)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 20.9% (male 51,078; female 47,118)
15-64 years: 71.8% (male 159,500; female 178,043)
65 years and over: 7.3% (male 13,930; female 20,234) (2003 est.)

Median age:
total: 33.1 years
male: 32.9 years
female: 33.3 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
1.72% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
12.07 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
3.85 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
8.93 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.08 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.9 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.69 male(s)/female
total population: 0.91 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 4.42 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 4.84 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
male: 4.01 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 81.87 years
male: 79.05 years
female: 84.82 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
1.32 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
NA%

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
NA

Nationality:
noun: Chinese
adjective: Chinese

Ethnic groups:
Chinese 95%, Macanese (mixed Portuguese and Asian ancestry),
Portuguese, other

Religions:
Buddhist 50%, Roman Catholic 15%, none and other 35% (1997 est.)

Languages:
Portuguese, Chinese (Cantonese)

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 94.5%
male: 97.2%
female: 92% (2003 est.)

Government Macau

Country name:
conventional long form: Macau Special Administrative Region
conventional short form: Macau
local short form: Aomen (Chinese); Macau (Portuguese)
local long form: Aomen Tebie Xingzhengqu (Chinese); Regiao
Administrativa Especial de Macau (Portuguese)

Dependency status:
special administrative region of China

Government type:
limited democracy

Administrative divisions:
none (special administrative region of China)

Independence:
none (special administrative region of China)

National holiday:
National Day (Anniversary of the Founding of the People's Republic
of China), 1 October (1949); note - 20 December 1999 is celebrated
as Macau Special Administrative Region Establishment Day

Constitution:
Basic Law, approved in March 1993 by China's National People's
Congress, is Macau's "mini-constitution"

Legal system:
based on Portuguese civil law system

Suffrage:
direct election 18 years of age, universal for permanent residents
living in Macau for the past seven years; indirect election limited
to organizations registered as "corporate voters" (257 are currently
registered) and a 300-member Election Committee drawn from broad
regional groupings, municipal organizations, and central government
bodies

Executive branch:
chief of state: President of China HU Jintao (since 15 March 2003)
elections: chief executive chosen by a 200-member selection
committee for up to two five-year terms
cabinet: Executive Council consists of all five government
secretaries, three legislators, and two businessmen
head of government: Chief Executive Edmund HO Hau-wah (since 20
December 1999)

Legislative branch:
unicameral Legislative Council or LEGCO (27 seats; 10 elected by
popular vote, 10 by indirect vote, and 7 appointed by the chief
executive; members serve four-year terms)
election results: percent of vote - NA%; seats by political bloc -
Entertainment Industry 3, pro-democracy 2, pro-Beijing Labor Union
2, pro-Beijing Neighborhood Association 2, pro-business 1
elections: last held 23 September 2001 (next to be held NA 2005)

Judicial branch:
The Court of Final Appeal in the Macau Special Administrative Region

Political parties and leaders:
there are no formal political parties, however, there are civic
associations that, for purposes of legislative voting, join together
to form political blocs

Political pressure groups and leaders:
Catholic Church [Domingos LAM, bishop]; Macau Society of Tourism
and Entertainment or STDM [Stanley HO, managing director]; Union for
Democracy Development [Antonio NG Kuok-cheong, leader]

International organization participation:
ESCAP (associate), IHO, IMO (associate), Interpol (sub-bureau), ISO
(correspondent), UNESCO (associate), WCO, WMO, WToO (associate), WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
none (special administrative region of China)

Diplomatic representation from the US:
the US has no offices in Macau; US interests are monitored by the
US Consulate General in Hong Kong

Flag description:
light green with a lotus flower above a stylized bridge and water
in white, beneath an arc of five gold, five-pointed stars: one large
in center of arc and four smaller

Economy Macau

Economy - overview:
Macau's economy four years after reversion to China remains one of
the most open in the world. The territory's net exports of goods and
services account for 39% of GDP with tourism and apparel exports as
the mainstays. Although the territory was hit hard by the 1998 Asian
financial crisis and the global downturn in 2001, its economy grew
an estimated 9.5% in 2002. A rapid rise in the number of mainland
visitors because of China's easing of restrictions on travel drove
the recovery. The budget also returned to surplus in 2002 because of
the surge in visitors from China and a hike in taxes on gambling
profits, which generated about 63% of government revenue. The
liberalization of Macao's gambling monopoly may contribute to GDP
growth, as the three companies awarded gambling licenses have
pledged to invest $2.2 billion - roughly 33% of GDP - in the
territory. Much of Macau's textile industry may move to the mainland
as the Multi-Fiber Agreement is phased out. The territory may have
to rely more on gambling and trade-related services to generate
growth. Growth fell to 4% in 2003, according to early government
forecasts, with the drop in large measure due to concerns over the
Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS).

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $8.6 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
9.5% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $18,500 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 1%
industry: 12%
services: 87% (2002 est.)

Population below poverty line:
NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
-2.6% (2002 est.)

Labor force:
214,000 (2002)

Labor force - by occupation:
restaurants and hotels 12%, manufacturing 20%, other services and
agriculture 68% (2002 est.)

Unemployment rate:
6.3% (2002)

Budget:
revenues: $1.41 billion
expenditures: $1.19 billion, including capital expenditures of $194
million (2002)

Industries:
tourism, gambling, clothing, textiles, electronics, footwear, toys

Industrial production growth rate:
NA%

Electricity - production:
1.611 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 100%
hydro: 0%
other: 0% (2001)
nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption:
1.688 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports:
1 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
193 million kWh (2002)

Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
11,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
NA (2001)

Agriculture - products:
vegetables, livestock

Exports:
$2.36 billion f.o.b. (2002)

Exports - commodities:
clothing, textiles, footwear, cement, machines, and parts

Exports - partners:
US 48.6%, China 15.5%, Germany 7.4%, Hong Kong 5.8%, UK 5.4% (2002)

Imports:
$2.53 billion c.i.f. (2002)

Imports - commodities:
clothing, textiles, yarn, foodstuffs, fuel, automobiles, capital
goods

Imports - partners:
China 41.7%, Hong Kong 14.5%, Japan 6.7%, Taiwan 6.6%, South Korea
5%, France 4.3%, US 4.1% (2002)

Debt - external:
$255 million (2000 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
$NA

Currency:
pataca (MOP)

Currency code:
MOP

Exchange rates:
patacas per US dollar - 8.03 (2002), 8.03 (2001), 8.03 (2000), 7.99
(1999), 7.98 (1998)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Macau

Telephones - main lines in use:
176,902 (November 2001)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
158,251 (November 2001)

Telephone system:
general assessment: fairly modern communication facilities
maintained for domestic and international services
domestic: NA
international: HF radiotelephone communication facility; access to
international communications carriers provided via Hong Kong and
China; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 0, FM 2, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios:
160,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
1 (2003)

Televisions:
49,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
.mo

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
1 (2000)

Internet users:
101,000 (2002)

Transportation Macau

Railways:
0 km

Highways:
total: 271 km
paved: 271 km
unpaved: 0 km (2000)

Waterways:
none

Ports and harbors:
Macau

Merchant marine:
none (2002 est.)

Airports:
1 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 1
over 3,047 m: 1 (2002)

Military Macau

Military branches:
no regular indigenous military forces; responsibility for defense
reverted to China on 20 December 1999; there is a local police force

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 130,228 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 71,826 (2003 est.)

Transnational Issues Macau

Disputes - international:
none

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic

Introduction Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of

Background:
International recognition of The Former Yugoslav Republic of
Macedonia's (F.Y.R.O.M.) independence from Yugoslavia in 1991 was
delayed by Greece's objection to the new state's use of what it
considered a Hellenic name and symbols. Greece finally lifted its
trade blockade in 1995, and the two countries agreed to normalize
relations, despite continued disagreement over F.Y.R.O.M.'s use of
"Macedonia." F.Y.R.O.M.'s large Albanian minority, an ethnic
Albanian armed insurgency in F.Y.R.O.M. in 2001, and the status of
neighboring Kosovo continue to be sources of ethnic tension.

Geography Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of

Location:
Southeastern Europe, north of Greece

Geographic coordinates:
41 50 N, 22 00 E

Map references:
Europe

Area:
total: 25,333 sq km
water: 477 sq km
land: 24,856 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly larger than Vermont

Land boundaries:
total: 766 km
border countries: Albania 151 km, Bulgaria 148 km, Greece 246 km,
Serbia and Montenegro 221 km

Coastline:
0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims:
none (landlocked)

Climate:
warm, dry summers and autumns and relatively cold winters with
heavy snowfall

Terrain:
mountainous territory covered with deep basins and valleys; three
large lakes, each divided by a frontier line; country bisected by
the Vardar River

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Vardar River 50 m
highest point: Golem Korab (Maja e Korabit) 2,753 m

Natural resources:
chromium, lead, zinc, manganese, tungsten, nickel, low-grade iron
ore, asbestos, sulfur, timber, arable land

Land use:
arable land: 23.59%
permanent crops: 1.85%
other: 74.56% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
550 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
high seismic risks

Environment - current issues:
air pollution from metallurgical plants

Environment - international agreements:
party to: Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered
Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection,
Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:
landlocked; major transportation corridor from Western and Central
Europe to Aegean Sea and Southern Europe to Western Europe

People Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of

Population:
2,063,122
note: a census was taken 1-15 November 2002, but results are not yet
available (July 2003 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 21.9% (male 235,102; female 217,574)
15-64 years: 67.5% (male 700,929; female 691,552)
65 years and over: 10.6% (male 96,039; female 121,926) (2003 est.)

Median age:
total: 32.5 years
male: 31.4 years
female: 33.6 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
0.4% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
13.2 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
7.78 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
-1.46 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.08 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.08 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.79 male(s)/female
total population: 1 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 12.14 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 11.12 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
male: 13.08 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 74.49 years
male: 72.23 years
female: 76.94 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
1.75 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
less than 0.1% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
less than 100 (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
less than 100 (2001 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Macedonian(s)
adjective: Macedonian

Ethnic groups:
Macedonian 64.2%, Albanian 25.2%, Turkish 3.8%, Roma 2.7%, Serb
1.8%, other 2.3% (1994)

Religions:
Macedonian Orthodox 67%, Muslim 30%, other 3%

Languages:
Macedonian 70%, Albanian 21%, Turkish 3%, Serbo-Croatian 3%, other
3%

Literacy:
definition: NA
total population: NA%
male: NA%
female: NA%

Government Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of

Country name:
conventional long form: The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia
conventional short form: none
local long form: Republika Makedonija
abbreviation: F.Y.R.O.M.
local short form: Makedonija

Government type:
parliamentary democracy

Capital:
Skopje

Administrative divisions:
123 municipalities (opstini, singular - opstina); Aracinovo, Bac,
Belcista, Berovo, Bistrica, Bitola, Blatec, Bogdanci, Bogomila,
Bogovinje, Bosilovo, Brvenica, Cair (Skopje), Capari, Caska,
Cegrane, Centar (Skopje), Centar Zupa, Cesinovo, Cucer-Sandevo,
Debar, Delcevo, Delogozdi, Demir Hisar, Demir Kapija, Dobrusevo,
Dolna Banjica, Dolneni, Dorce Petrov (Skopje), Drugovo, Dzepciste,
Gazi Baba (Skopje), Gevgelija, Gostivar, Gradsko, Ilinden, Izvor,
Jegunovce, Kamenjane, Karbinci, Karpos (Skopje), Kavadarci, Kicevo,
Kisela Voda (Skopje), Klecevce, Kocani, Konce, Kondovo, Konopiste,
Kosel, Kratovo, Kriva Palanka, Krivogastani, Krusevo, Kuklis,
Kukurecani, Kumanovo, Labunista, Lipkovo, Lozovo, Lukovo, Makedonska
Kamenica, Makedonski Brod, Mavrovi Anovi, Meseista, Miravci, Mogila,
Murtino, Negotino, Negotino-Polosko, Novaci, Novo Selo, Oblesevo,
Ohrid, Orasac, Orizari, Oslomej, Pehcevo, Petrovec, Plasnica,
Podares, Prilep, Probistip, Radovis, Rankovce, Resen, Rosoman,
Rostusa, Samokov, Saraj, Sipkovica, Sopiste, Sopotnica, Srbinovo,
Star Dojran, Staravina, Staro Nagoricane, Stip, Struga, Strumica,
Studenicani, Suto Orizari (Skopje), Sveti Nikole, Tearce, Tetovo,
Topolcani, Valandovo, Vasilevo, Velesta, Veles, Vevcani, Vinica,
Vitoliste, Vranestica, Vrapciste, Vratnica, Vrutok, Zajas,
Zelenikovo, Zeleno, Zitose, Zletovo, Zrnovci
note: the seven municipalities followed by Skopje in parentheses
collectively constitute "greater Skopje"

Independence:
8 September 1991 referendum by registered voters endorsing
independence (from Yugoslavia)

National holiday:
Uprising Day, 2 August (1903); note - also known as Saint Elijah's
Day and Ilinden

Constitution:
adopted 17 November 1991, effective 20 November 1991
note: in November of 2001, the Macedonian Parliament approved a
series of new constitutional amendments strengthening minority rights

Legal system:
based on civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Boris TRAJKOVSKI (since 15 December 1999)
head of government: Prime Minister Branko CRVENKOVSKI (since 1
November 2002)
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
election last held 14 November 1999 (next to be held NA October
2004); prime minister elected by the Assembly; election last held 1
November 2002 (next to be held NA 2006)
election results: Boris TRAJKOVSKI elected president on second-round
ballot; percent of vote - Boris TRAJKOVSKI 52.4%, Tito PETKOVSKI
46.2%; Branko CRVENKOVSKI elected prime minister by Parliament with
72% of the vote
cabinet: Council of Ministers elected by the majority vote of all
the deputies in the Assembly; note - current cabinet formed by the
government coalition parties SDSM, LDP, and DUI (or BDI)

Legislative branch:
unicameral Assembly or Sobranie (120 seats - 85 members are elected
by popular vote, 35 members come from lists of candidates submitted
by parties based on the percentage that a party gains from the
overall vote; all serve four-year terms)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
Together for Macedonia coalition (SDSM and LDP) 60, VMRO-DPMNE 33,
Democratic Union for Integration 16, Democratic Party of Albanians
7, Party for Democratic Prosperity 2, National Democratic Party 1,
Socialist Party of Macedonia 1
elections: last held 15 September 2002 (next to be held NA 2006)

Judicial branch:
Supreme Court - Parliament appoints the judges; Constitutional
Court - Parliament appoints the judges; Republican Judicial Council
- Parliament appoints the judges

Political parties and leaders:
Democratic Alternative or DA [Vasil TUPURKOVSKI, president];
Democratic Union for Integration or DUI (also BDI) [Ali AHMETI];
Democratic Party of Albanians or PDSH [Arben XHAFERI, president];
Internal Macedonian Revolutionary Organization-Democratic Party for
Macedonian National Unity or VMRO-DPMNE [Ljubco GEORGIEVSKI,
president]; Internal Macedonian Revolutionary Organization-True
Macedonian Reform Option or VMRO-VMRO [Boris ZMEJKOVSKI]; Internal
Macedonian Revolutionary Organization-Macedonian [Boris STOJMENOV];
Liberal Democratic Party or LDP [Risto PENOV]; Liberal Party [Stojan
ANDOV]; National Democratic Party or PDK [Kastriot HAXHIREXHA];
Party for Democratic Prosperity or PPD [Abdurrahman HALITI];
Social-Democratic Alliance of Macedonia or SDSM [Branko CRVENKOVSKI,
president]; Socialist Party of Macedonia or SP [Ljubisav IVANOV,
president]; Together for Macedonia coalition (including the SDSM and
LDP) [Branko CRVENKOVSKI]; Union of Romanies of Macedonia or SRM
[leader NA]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA

International organization participation:
ACCT, BIS, CE, CEI, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt,
ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM
(observer), ISO, ITU, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO (observer)

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Nikola DIMITROV
chancery: Suite 302, 1101 30th Street NW, Washington, DC 20007
consulate(s) general: New York
FAX: [1] (202) 337-3093
telephone: [1] (202) 337-3063

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Laurence Edward BUTLER
embassy: Bul. Ilinden bb, 91000 Skopje
mailing address: American Embassy Skopje, Department of State, 7120
Skopje Place, Washington, DC 20521-7120 (pouch)
telephone: [389] 116-180
FAX: [389] 117-103

Flag description:
a yellow sun with eight broadening rays extending to the edges of
the red field

Economy Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of

Economy - overview:
At independence in November 1991, Macedonia was the least developed
of the Yugoslav republics, producing a mere 5% of the total federal
output of goods and services. The collapse of Yugoslavia ended
transfer payments from the center and eliminated advantages from
inclusion in a de facto free trade area. An absence of
infrastructure, UN sanctions on Yugoslavia, one of its largest
markets, and a Greek economic embargo over a dispute about the
country's constitutional name and flag hindered economic growth
until 1996. GDP subsequently rose each year through 2000. However,
the leadership's commitment to economic reform, free trade, and
regional integration was undermined by the ethnic Albanian
insurgency of 2001. The economy shrank 4.5% because of decreased
trade, intermittent border closures, increased deficit spending on
security needs, and investor uncertainty. Growth barely recovered in
2002 to 0.3%, then rose to 2.8% in 2003. Unemployment at one-third
of the workforce remains the most critical economic problem. But
even this issue is overshadowed by the fragile political situation.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $10.57 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
0.7% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $5,100 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 11%
industry: 31%
services: 58% (2001 est.)

Population below poverty line:
24% (2001 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
1.1% (2002 est.)

Labor force:
1.1 million (2000 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture NA%, industry NA%, services NA%

Unemployment rate:
37% (2002 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $1.13 billion
expenditures: $1.02 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
(2001 est.)

Industries:
coal, metallic chromium, lead, zinc, ferronickel, textiles, wood
products, tobacco, food processing, buses

Industrial production growth rate:
-5% (2002 est.)

Electricity - production:
6.465 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 83.7%
hydro: 16.3%
other: 0% (2001)
nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption:
6.112 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
100 million kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
20,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
NA (2001)

Agriculture - products:
rice, tobacco, wheat, corn, millet, cotton, sesame, mulberry
leaves, citrus, vegetables; beef, pork, poultry, mutton

Exports:
$1.1 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Exports - commodities:
food, beverages, tobacco; miscellaneous manufactures, iron and steel

Exports - partners:
Germany 19.2%, Italy 9.2%, US 6.7%, Croatia 5.5%, Greece 4.6% (2002)

Imports:
$1.9 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Imports - commodities:
machinery and equipment, chemicals, fuels; food products

Imports - partners:
Greece 19.4%, Germany 14.4%, Bulgaria 7.5%, Slovenia 6.9%, Italy
6.9%, Turkey 5.9%, Ukraine 5%, Austria 4.1% (2002)

Debt - external:
$1.3 billion (2001 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
$150 million (2001 est.)

Currency:
Macedonian denar (MKD)

Currency code:
MKD

Exchange rates:
Macedonian denars per US dollar - 64.35 (2002), 68.04 (2001), 65.9
(2000), 56.9 (1999), 54.46 (1998)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of

Telephones - main lines in use:
408,000 (1997)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
12,362 (1997)

Telephone system:
general assessment: NA
domestic: NA
international: NA

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 29, FM 20, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios:
410,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
31 (plus 166 repeaters) (1995)

Televisions:
510,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
.mk

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
6 (2000)

Internet users:
100,000 (2001)

Transportation Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of

Railways:
total: 699 km
standard gauge: 699 km 1.435-m gauge (233 km electrified) (2002)

Highways:
total: 8,684 km
paved: 5,540 km (including 133 km of expressways)
unpaved: 3,144 km (1999 est.)

Waterways:
note: lake transport only, on the Greek and Albanian borders

Pipelines:
gas 268 km; oil 120 km (2003)

Ports and harbors:
none

Airports:
18 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 10
2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
under 914 m: 8 (2002)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 8
914 to 1,523 m: 4
under 914 m: 4 (2002)

Military Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of

Military branches:
Army (ARM), Air and Air Defense Forces, Police Force

Military manpower - military age:
19 years of age (2003 est.)

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 553,988 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 446,726 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
males: 17,909 (2003 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$200 million (FY01/02 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
6% (FY01/02 est.)

Transnational Issues Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of

Disputes - international:
the Albanian government calls for the protection of the rights of
ethnic Albanians in F.Y.R.O.M. while continuing to seek regional
cooperation; ethnic Albanians in Kosovo continue to protest 2000
F.Y.R.O.M.-Serbia and Montenegro boundary treaty, which transfers
small tracts of land to F.Y.R.O.M.; dispute with Greece over
country's name persists

Illicit drugs:
major transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin and hashish;
minor transit point for South American cocaine destined for Europe;
while money laundering is a problem on a local level due to
organized crime activities, the lack of a well-developed financial
infrastructure limits the country's utility as a money-laundering
center

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@Madagascar

Introduction Madagascar

Background:
Formerly an independent kingdom, Madagascar became a French colony
in 1886, but regained its independence in 1960. During 1992-93, free
presidential and National Assembly elections were held, ending 17
years of single-party rule. In 1997, in the second presidential
race, Didier RATSIRAKA, the leader during the 1970s and 1980s, was
returned to the presidency. The 2001 presidential election was
contested between the followers of Didier RATSIRAKA and Marc
RAVALOMANANA, nearly causing secession of half of the country. In
April 2002, the High Constitutional Court announced RAVALOMANANA the
winner.

Geography Madagascar

Location:
Southern Africa, island in the Indian Ocean, east of Mozambique

Geographic coordinates:
20 00 S, 47 00 E

Map references:
Africa

Area:
total: 587,040 sq km
water: 5,500 sq km
land: 581,540 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly less than twice the size of Arizona

Land boundaries:
0 km

Coastline:
4,828 km

Maritime claims:
contiguous zone: 24 NM
territorial sea: 12 NM
exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
continental shelf: 200 NM or 100 NM from the 2,500-m deep isobath

Climate:
tropical along coast, temperate inland, arid in south

Terrain:
narrow coastal plain, high plateau and mountains in center

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: Maromokotro 2,876 m

Natural resources:
graphite, chromite, coal, bauxite, salt, quartz, tar sands,
semiprecious stones, mica, fish, hydropower

Land use:
arable land: 4.41%
permanent crops: 0.93%
other: 94.66% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
10,900 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
periodic cyclones

Environment - current issues:
soil erosion results from deforestation and overgrazing;
desertification; surface water contaminated with raw sewage and
other organic wastes; several species of flora and fauna unique to
the island are endangered

Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered
Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation,
Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:
world's fourth-largest island; strategic location along Mozambique
Channel

People Madagascar

Population:
16,979,744 (July 2003 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 45% (male 3,822,823; female 3,807,958)
15-64 years: 51.9% (male 4,366,748; female 4,452,686)
65 years and over: 3.1% (male 243,411; female 286,118) (2003 est.)

Median age:
total: 17.4 years
male: 17.2 years
female: 17.6 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
3.03% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
42.16 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
11.88 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.85 male(s)/female
total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 80.21 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 71.53 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
male: 88.63 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 56.14 years
male: 53.82 years
female: 58.53 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
5.73 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.3% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
22,000 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
870 (2001 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Malagasy (singular and plural)
adjective: Malagasy

Ethnic groups:
Malayo-Indonesian (Merina and related Betsileo), Cotiers (mixed
African, Malayo-Indonesian, and Arab ancestry - Betsimisaraka,
Tsimihety, Antaisaka, Sakalava), French, Indian, Creole, Comoran

Religions:
indigenous beliefs 52%, Christian 41%, Muslim 7%

Languages:
French (official), Malagasy (official)

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 68.9%
male: 75.5%
female: 62.5% (2003 est.)

Government Madagascar

Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Madagascar
conventional short form: Madagascar
local short form: Madagascar
former: Malagasy Republic
local long form: Republique de Madagascar

Government type:
republic

Capital:
Antananarivo

Administrative divisions:
6 provinces (faritany); Antananarivo, Antsiranana, Fianarantsoa,
Mahajanga, Toamasina, Toliara

Independence:
26 June 1960 (from France)

National holiday:
Independence Day, 26 June (1960)

Constitution:
19 August 1992 by national referendum

Legal system:
based on French civil law system and traditional Malagasy law; has
not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Marc RAVALOMANANA (since 6 May 2002)
head of government: Prime Minister Jacques SYLLA (27 May 2002)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
election last held 16 December 2001 (next to be held NA November
2006); prime minister appointed by the president from a list of
candidates nominated by the National Assembly
election results: percent of vote - Didier RATSIRAKA (AREMA) 40.89%,
Marc RAVALOMANANA 46.21%; note - on 29 April 2002, the High
Constitutional Court announced RAVALOMANANA the winner by 51.5%
after a recount; RATSIRIKA's prime minister was put under house
arrest on 27 May 2002, and SYLLA was appointed the new prime
minister by President RAVALOMANANA

Legislative branch:
unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (160 seats;
members are directly elected by popular vote to serve four-year
terms); note - the legislature is scheduled to become a bicameral
Parliament with the establishment of a Senate; two-thirds of the
seats of this Senate will be filled by regional assemblies whose
members will be elected by popular vote; the remaining one-third of
the seats will be appointed by the president; the total number of
seats will be determined by the National Assembly; all members will
serve four-year terms
elections: National Assembly - last held 15 December 2002 (next to
be held NA 2006)
election results: National Assembly - percent of vote by party -
NA%; seats by party - TIM 103, FP 22, AREMA 3, LEADER/Fanilo 2, RPSD
5, others 3, independents 22

Judicial branch:
Supreme Court or Cour Supreme; High Constitutional Court or Haute
Cour Constitutionnelle

Political parties and leaders:
Association for the Rebirth of Madagascar or AREMA [leader vacant];
Economic Liberalism and Democratic Action for National Recovery or
LEADER/Fanilo [Herizo RAZAFIMAHALEO]; I Love Madagascar or TIM
[leader NA]; National Union or FP [leader NA]; Renewal of the Social
Democratic Party or RPSD [Evariste MARSON]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
Federalist Movement; National Council of Christian Churches or FFKM

International organization participation:
ACCT, ACP, AfDB, ECA, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt
(signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO,
InOC, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU, NAM, OAU, UN,
UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO,
WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Rajaonarivony NARISOA
consulate(s) general: New York
FAX: [1] (202) 483-7603
telephone: [1] (202) 265-5525, 5526
chancery: 2374 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Wanda L. NESBITT
embassy: 14-16 Rue Rainitovo, Antsahavola, Antananarivo 101
mailing address: B. P. 620, Antsahavola, Antananarivo
telephone: [261] (20) 22-212-57, 22-212-73, 22-209-56
FAX: [261] (20) 22-345-39

Flag description:
two equal horizontal bands of red (top) and green with a vertical
white band of the same width on hoist side

Economy Madagascar

Economy - overview:
Having discarded past socialist economic policies, Madagascar has
since the mid 1990s followed a World Bank and IMF led policy of
privatization and liberalization, which has placed the country on a
slow and steady growth path. Agriculture, including fishing and
forestry, is a mainstay of the economy, accounting for one-fourth of
GDP and employing four-fifths of the population. Export earnings
primarily are earned in the small industrial sector, which features
textile manufacturing and agriculture processing. Deforestation and
erosion, aggravated by the use of firewood as the primary source of
fuel are serious concerns. The separatist political crisis of 2002
undermined macroeconomic stability, with the estimated drop in
output being subject to a wide margin of error. Poverty reduction
will be the centerpiece of economic policy for the next few years.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $12.59 billion (2002)

GDP - real growth rate:
-11.9% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $800 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 25%
industry: 12%
services: 63% (2001 est.)

Population below poverty line:
71% (1999 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 3%
highest 10%: 29% (1999)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
38.1 (1999)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
7.4% (2001 est.)

Labor force:
7.3 million (2000)

Unemployment rate:
5.9% (1998)

Budget:
revenues: $553 million
expenditures: $735 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
(1998 est.)

Industries:
meat processing, soap, breweries, tanneries, sugar, textiles,
glassware, cement, automobile assembly plant, paper, petroleum,
tourism

Industrial production growth rate:
3% (2000 est.)

Electricity - production:
830.2 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 36.1%
hydro: 63.9%
other: 0% (2001)
nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption:
772.1 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
13,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
NA (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:
0 bbl (37257)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
0 cu m (37257)

Agriculture - products:
coffee, vanilla, sugarcane, cloves, cocoa, rice, cassava (tapioca),
beans, bananas, peanuts; livestock products

Exports:
$700 million f.o.b. (2002)

Exports - commodities:
coffee, vanilla, shellfish, sugar; cotton cloth, chromite,
petroleum products

Exports - partners:
France 34%, US 24.6%, Netherlands 6%, Germany 5.9%, Mauritius 4%
(2002)

Imports:
$985 million f.o.b. (2002)

Imports - commodities:
capital goods, petroleum, consumer goods, food

Imports - partners:
France 17.2%, Iran 11%, Mauritius 10.6%, Bahrain 9.4%, Hong Kong
6.9%, South Africa 5.9%, China 4.1% (2002)

Debt - external:
$4.6 billion (2002)

Economic aid - recipient:
$838 million (1997)

Currency:
Malagasy franc (MGF)

Currency code:
MGF

Exchange rates:
Malagasy francs per US dollar - 6,831.96 (2002), 6,588.49 (2001),
6,767.48 (2000), 6,283.77 (1999), 5,441.4 (1998)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Madagascar

Telephones - main lines in use:
55,000 (2000)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
63,100 (2000)

Telephone system:
general assessment: system is above average for the region
domestic: open-wire lines, coaxial cables, microwave radio relay,
and tropospheric scatter links connect regions
international: submarine cable to Bahrain; satellite earth stations
- 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) and 1 Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean
region)

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 2 (plus a number of repeater stations), FM 9, shortwave 6 (2001)

Radios:
3.05 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
1 (plus 36 repeaters) (2001)

Televisions:
325,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
.mg

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
2 (2000)

Internet users:
35,000 (2002)

Transportation Madagascar

Railways:
total: 732 km
narrow gauge: 732 km 1.000-m gauge (2002)

Highways:
total: 49,827 km
paved: 5,780 km
unpaved: 44,047 km (1999 est.)

Waterways:
of local importance only

Ports and harbors:
Antsiranana, Antsohimbondrona, Mahajanga, Toamasina, Toliara

Merchant marine:
total: 11 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 14,865 GRT/17,936 DWT
ships by type: cargo 8, chemical tanker 1, roll on/roll off 2 (2002
est.)

Airports:
121 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 29
over 3,047 m: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 4
914 to 1,523 m: 20
under 914 m: 2 (2002)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 92
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 46
under 914 m: 44 (2002)

Military Madagascar

Military branches:
People's Armed Forces (comprising Intervention Force, Development
Force, Aeronaval [Navy and Air] Force), Gendarmerie, Presidential
Security Regiment

Military manpower - military age:
20 years of age (2003 est.)

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 3,880,332 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 2,300,587 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
males: 163,864 (2003 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$52.3 million (FY02)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
1.2% (FY02)

Transnational Issues Madagascar

Disputes - international:
claims Bassas da India, Europa Island, Glorioso Islands, and Juan
de Nova Island (all administered by France)

Illicit drugs:
illicit producer of cannabis (cultivated and wild varieties) used
mostly for domestic consumption; transshipment point for heroin

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@Malawi

Introduction Malawi

Background:
Established in 1891, the British protectorate of Nyasaland became
the independent nation of Malawi in 1964. After three decades of
one-party rule, the country held multiparty elections in 1994 under
a provisional constitution, which took full effect the following
year. National multiparty elections were held again in 1999.

Geography Malawi

Location:
Southern Africa, east of Zambia

Geographic coordinates:
13 30 S, 34 00 E

Map references:
Africa

Area:
total: 118,480 sq km
water: 24,400 sq km
land: 94,080 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than Pennsylvania

Land boundaries:
total: 2,881 km
border countries: Mozambique 1,569 km, Tanzania 475 km, Zambia 837 km

Coastline:
0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims:
none (landlocked)

Climate:
sub-tropical; rainy season (November to May); dry season (May to
November)

Terrain:
narrow elongated plateau with rolling plains, rounded hills, some
mountains

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: junction of the Shire River and international
boundary with Mozambique 37 m
highest point: Sapitwa (Mount Mlanje) 3,002 m

Natural resources:
limestone, arable land, hydropower, unexploited deposits of
uranium, coal, and bauxite

Land use:
arable land: 19.93%
permanent crops: 1.33%
other: 78.74% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
280 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
NA

Environment - current issues:
deforestation; land degradation; water pollution from agricultural
runoff, sewage, industrial wastes; siltation of spawning grounds
endangers fish populations

Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental
Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear
Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea

Geography - note:
landlocked; Lake Nyasa, some 580 km long, is the country's most
prominent physical feature

People Malawi

Population:
11,651,239
note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the
effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower
life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower
population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of
population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July
2003 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 46.8% (male 2,748,058; female 2,698,052)
15-64 years: 50.5% (male 2,911,892; female 2,973,723)
65 years and over: 2.7% (male 128,722; female 190,792) (2003 est.)

Median age:
total: 16.4 years
male: 16.1 years
female: 16.7 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
2.21% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
44.7 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
22.64 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.67 male(s)/female
total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 105.15 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 100.81 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
male: 109.36 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 37.98 years
male: 37.57 years
female: 38.39 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
6.1 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
15% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
850,000 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
80,000 (2001 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Malawian(s)
adjective: Malawian

Ethnic groups:
Chewa, Nyanja, Tumbuka, Yao, Lomwe, Sena, Tonga, Ngoni, Ngonde,
Asian, European

Religions:
Protestant 55%, Roman Catholic 20%, Muslim 20%, indigenous beliefs
3%, other 2%

Languages:
English (official), Chichewa (official), other languages important
regionally

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 62.7%
male: 76.1%
female: 49.8% (2003 est.)

Government Malawi

Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Malawi
conventional short form: Malawi
former: British Central African Protectorate, Nyasaland
Protectorate, Nyasaland

Government type:
multiparty democracy

Capital:
Lilongwe

Administrative divisions:
27 districts; Balaka, Blantyre, Chikwawa, Chiradzulu, Chitipa,
Dedza, Dowa, Karonga, Kasungu, Likoma, Lilongwe, Machinga (Kasupe),
Mangochi, Mchinji, Mulanje, Mwanza, Mzimba, Ntcheu, Nkhata Bay,
Nkhotakota, Nsanje, Ntchisi, Phalombe, Rumphi, Salima, Thyolo, Zomba

Independence:
6 July 1964 (from UK)

National holiday:
Independence Day (Republic Day), 6 July (1964)

Constitution:
18 May 1994

Legal system:
based on English common law and customary law; judicial review of
legislative acts in the Supreme Court of Appeal; has not accepted
compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Bakili MULUZI (since 21 May 1994); note -
the president is both the chief of state and head of government
head of government: President Bakili MULUZI (since 21 May 1994);
note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
government
cabinet: 46-member Cabinet named by the president
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
election last held 15 June 1999 (next to be held NA 2004)
election results: Bakili MULUZI reelected president; percent of vote
- Bakili MULUZI (UDF) 51.4%, Gwandaguluwe CHAKUAMBA (MCP-AFORD) 44.3%

Legislative branch:
unicameral National Assembly (193 seats; members elected by popular
vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 15 June 1999 (next to be held NA 2004)
election results: percent of vote by party - UDF 48%, MCP 34%, AFORD
15%, others 3%; seats by party - UDF 96, MCP 61, AFORD 30, others 6

Judicial branch:
Supreme Court of Appeal; High Court (chief justice appointed by the
president, puisne judges appointed on the advice of the Judicial
Service Commission); magistrate's courts

Political parties and leaders:
Alliance for Democracy or AFORD [Chakufwa CHIHANA]; Malawi Congress
Party or MCP [John TEMBO, president; Gwanda CHAKUAMBA, vice
president]; Malawi Democratic Party or MDP [Kampelo KALUA]; United
Democratic Front or UDF [Bakili MULUZI] - governing party

Political pressure groups and leaders:
National Democratic Alliance [Brown MPINGANJIRA]

International organization participation:
ACP, AfDB, C, ECA, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA,
IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO (correspondent),
ITU, MONUC, NAM, OAU, OPCW, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIK,
UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Paul Tony Steven KANDIERO
FAX: [1] (202) 265-0976
telephone: [1] (202) 797-1007
chancery: 2408 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Stephen BROWN
embassy: Area 40, Plot 24, Kenyatta Road
mailing address: P. O. Box 30016, Lilongwe 3, Malawi
telephone: [265] (1) 773 166
FAX: [265] (1) 770 471

Flag description:
three equal horizontal bands of black (top), red, and green with a
radiant, rising, red sun centered in the black band

Government - note:
the executive exerts considerable influence over the legislature

Economy Malawi

Economy - overview:
Landlocked Malawi ranks among the world's least developed
countries. The economy is predominately agricultural, with about 90%
of the population living in rural areas. Agriculture accounted for
nearly 40% of GDP and 88% of export revenues in 2001. The economy
depends on substantial inflows of economic assistance from the IMF,
the World Bank, and individual donor nations. In late 2000, Malawi
was approved for relief under the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries
(HIPC) program. In November 2002 the World Bank approved a $50
million drought recovery package, which is to be used for famine
relief. The government faces strong challenges, e.g., to fully
develop a market economy, to improve educational facilities, to face
up to environmental problems, to deal with the rapidly growing
problem of HIV/AIDS, and to satisfy foreign donors that fiscal
discipline is being tightened. The performance of the tobacco sector
is key to short-term growth as tobacco accounts for over 50% of
exports.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $6.811 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
1.7% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $600 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 37%
industry: 16%
services: 47% (2001 est.)

Population below poverty line:
54% (FY 90/91 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
27.4% (2001 est.)

Labor force:
4.5 million (2001 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture 86% (1997 est.)

Unemployment rate:
NA%

Budget:
revenues: $490 million
expenditures: $523 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
(FY 99/00 est.)

Industries:
tobacco, tea, sugar, sawmill products, cement, consumer goods

Industrial production growth rate:
-0.8% (2002 est.)

Electricity - production:
769.2 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 3.3%
hydro: 96.7%
other: 0% (2001)
nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption:
715.3 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
5,400 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
NA (2001)

Agriculture - products:
tobacco, sugarcane, cotton, tea, corn, potatoes, cassava (tapioca),
sorghum, pulses; groundnuts, Macadamia nuts; cattle, goats

Exports:
$435 million f.o.b. (201)

Exports - commodities:
tobacco 60%, tea, sugar, cotton, coffee, peanuts, wood products,
apparel

Exports - partners:
US 17.3%, Germany 13.6%, South Africa 10.2%, Egypt 6.2%, Japan 6%,
Netherlands 5.5%, Russia 4.8%, UK 4.3% (2002)

Imports:
$505 million f.o.b. (2001)

Imports - commodities:
food, petroleum products, semimanufactures, consumer goods,
transportation equipment

Imports - partners:
South Africa 44.4%, Zambia 12.7%, US 5.6%, India 4.2% (2002)

Debt - external:
$2.9 billion (2002)

Economic aid - recipient:
$540 million (1999)

Currency:
Malawian kwacha (MWK)

Currency code:
MWK

Exchange rates:
Malawian kwachas per US dollar - 76.69 (2002), 72.2 (2001), 59.54
(2000), 44.09 (1999), 31.07 (1998)

Fiscal year:
1 July - 30 June

Communications Malawi

Telephones - main lines in use:
45,000 (2000)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
49,000 (2000)

Telephone system:
general assessment: NA
domestic: system employs open-wire lines, microwave radio relay
links, and radiotelephone communications stations
international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean
and 1 Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 9, FM 5 (plus 15 repeater stations), shortwave 2 (plus a third
station held in standby status) (2001)

Radios:
2.6 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
1 (2001)

Televisions:
NA

Internet country code:
.mw

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
3 (2002)

Internet users:
35,000 (2002)

Transportation Malawi

Railways:
total: 797 km
narrow gauge: 797 km 1.067-m gauge (2002)

Highways:
total: 28,400 km
paved: 5,254 km
unpaved: 23,146 km (1999 est.)

Waterways:
144 km
note: on Lake Nyasa (Lake Malawi) and Shire Riverall

Ports and harbors:
Chipoka, Monkey Bay, Nkhata Bay, Nkhotakota, Chilumba

Airports:
43 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 6
over 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 4 (2002)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 37
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 14
under 914 m: 22 (2002)

Military Malawi

Military branches:
Army (including Air Wing and Naval Detachment), Police (including
paramilitary Mobile Force Unit)

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 2,625,495 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 1,347,248 (2003 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$13.01 million (FY02)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
0.7% (FY02)

Transnational Issues Malawi

Disputes - international:
dispute with Tanzania over the boundary in Lake Nyasa (Lake Malawi)
and the meandering Songwe River remain dormant

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@Malaysia

Introduction Malaysia

Background:
Malaysia was formed in 1963 through a federation of the former
British colonies of Malaya and Singapore, including the East
Malaysian states of Sabah and Sarawak on the northern coast of
Borneo. The first several years of the country's history were marred
by Indonesian efforts to control Malaysia, Philippine claims to
Sabah, and Singapore's secession from the federation in 1965.

Geography Malaysia

Location:
Southeastern Asia, peninsula and northern one-third of the island
of Borneo, bordering Indonesia and the South China Sea, south of
Vietnam

Geographic coordinates:
2 30 N, 112 30 E

Map references:
Southeast Asia

Area:
total: 329,750 sq km
water: 1,200 sq km
land: 328,550 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly larger than New Mexico

Land boundaries:
total: 2,669 km
border countries: Brunei 381 km, Indonesia 1,782 km, Thailand 506 km

Coastline:
4,675 km (Peninsular Malaysia 2,068 km, East Malaysia 2,607 km)

Maritime claims:
continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation;
specified boundary in the South China Sea
exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
territorial sea: 12 NM

Climate:
tropical; annual southwest (April to October) and northeast
(October to February) monsoons

Terrain:
coastal plains rising to hills and mountains

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: Gunung Kinabalu 4,100 m

Natural resources:
tin, petroleum, timber, copper, iron ore, natural gas, bauxite

Land use:
arable land: 5.54%
permanent crops: 17.61%
other: 76.85% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
3,650 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
flooding, landslides, forest fires

Environment - current issues:
air pollution from industrial and vehicular emissions; water
pollution from raw sewage; deforestation; smoke/haze from Indonesian
forest fires

Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered
Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation,
Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical
Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol

Geography - note:
strategic location along Strait of Malacca and southern South China
Sea

People Malaysia

Population:
23,092,940 (July 2003 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 33.7% (male 4,001,507; female 3,777,896)
15-64 years: 61.9% (male 7,163,252; female 7,131,745)
65 years and over: 4.4% (male 447,230; female 571,310) (2003 est.)

Median age:
total: 23.6 years
male: 23 years
female: 24.3 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
1.86% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
23.7 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
5.12 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population
note: does not reflect net flow of an unknown number of illegal
immigrants from other countries in the region (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/female
total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 19 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 15.83 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
male: 21.97 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 71.67 years
male: 69.01 years
female: 74.51 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
3.13 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.4% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
42,000 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
2,500 (2001 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Malaysian(s)
adjective: Malaysian

Ethnic groups:
Malay and other indigenous 58%, Chinese 24%, Indian 8%, others 10%
(2000)

Religions:
Muslim, Buddhist, Daoist, Hindu, Christian, Sikh; note - in
addition, Shamanism is practiced in East Malaysia

Languages:
Bahasa Melayu (official), English, Chinese dialects (Cantonese,
Mandarin, Hokkien, Hakka, Hainan, Foochow), Tamil, Telugu,
Malayalam, Panjabi, Thai; note - in addition, in East Malaysia
several indigenous languages are spoken, the largest are Iban and
Kadazan

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 88.9%
male: 92.4%
female: 85.4% (2003 est.)

Government Malaysia

Country name:
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Malaysia
former: Federation of Malaysia

Government type:
constitutional monarchy
note: Malaya (what is now Peninsular Malaysia) formed 31 August
1957; Federation of Malaysia (Malaya, Sabah, Sarawak, and Singapore)
formed 9 July 1963 (Singapore left the federation on 9 August 1965);
nominally headed by the paramount ruler and a bicameral Parliament
consisting of a nonelected upper house and an elected lower house;
Peninsular Malaysian states - hereditary rulers in all but Melaka,
George Town (Penang), Sabah, and Sarawak, where governors are
appointed by the Malaysian Government; powers of state governments
are limited by the federal constitution; under terms of the
federation, Sabah and Sarawak retain certain constitutional
prerogatives (e.g., the right to maintain their own immigration
controls); Sabah - holds 20 seats in House of Representatives, with
foreign affairs, defense, internal security, and other powers
delegated to federal government; Sarawak - holds 28 seats in House
of Representatives, with foreign affairs, defense, internal
security, and other powers delegated to federal government

Capital:
Kuala Lumpur

Administrative divisions:
13 states (negeri-negeri, singular - negeri) and 3 federal
territories* (wilayah-wilayah persekutuan, singular - wilayah
persekutuan); Johor, Kedah, Kelantan, Labuan*, Melaka, Negeri
Sembilan, Pahang, Perak, Perlis, Pulau Pinang, Putrajaya*, Sabah,
Sarawak, Selangor, Terengganu, Wilayah Persekutuan*
note: the city of Kuala Lumpur is within the federal territory of
Wilayah Persekutuan; the terms therefore are not interchangeable;

Independence:
31 August 1957 (from UK)

National holiday:
Independence Day/Malaysia Day, 31 August (1957)

Constitution:
31 August 1957, amended 16 September 1963

Legal system:
based on English common law; judicial review of legislative acts in
the Supreme Court at request of supreme head of the federation; has
not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:
21 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: Paramount Ruler Tuanku SYED SIRAJUDDIN ibni
Almarhum Tuanku Syed Putra Jamalullail, the Raja of Perlis (since 12
December 2001)
head of government: Prime Minister ABDULLAH bin Ahmad Badawi (since
31 October 2003); Deputy Prime Minister NA (since 31 October 2003)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the prime minister from among the
members of Parliament with consent of the paramount ruler
election results: Tuanku SYED SIRAJUDDIN ibni Almarhum Tuanku Syed
Putra Jamalullail elected paramount ruler
elections: paramount ruler elected by and from the hereditary rulers
of nine of the states for five-year terms; election last held 12
December 2001 (next to be held NA 2006); prime minister designated
from among the members of the House of Representatives; following
legislative elections, the leader of the party that wins a plurality
of seats in the House of Representatives becomes prime minister

Legislative branch:
bicameral Parliament or Parlimen consists of the Senate or Dewan
Negara (69 seats; 43 appointed by the paramount ruler, 26 appointed
by the state legislatures) and the House of Representatives or Dewan
Rakyat (193 seats; members elected by popular vote weighted toward
the rural Malay population to serve five-year terms)
election results: House of Representatives - percent of vote by
party - BN 56%, other 44%; seats by party - BN 148, PAS 27, DAP 10,
Keadilan 5, PBS 3
elections: House of Representatives - last held 29 November 1999
(next must be held by November 2004)

Judicial branch:
Federal Court (judges appointed by the paramount ruler on the
advice of the prime minister)

Political parties and leaders:
ruling coalition parties: Gerakan Rakyat Malaysia Party or PGRM
[LIM Kheng Yaik]; Liberal Democratic Party (Parti Liberal Demokratik
- Sabah) or LDP [CHONG Kah Kiat]; Malaysian Chinese Association
(Persatuan China Malaysia) or MCA [LING Ong Ka Ting]; Malaysian
Indian Congress (Kongresi India Malaysia) or MIC [S. Samy VELLU];
Parti Bangsa Dayak Sarawak or PBDS [Leo MOGGIE]; Parti Bersatu Sabah
or PBS [Joseph PAIRIN Kitingan]; Parti Pesaka Bumiputra Bersatu or
PBB [Patinggi Haji Abdul TAIB Mahmud]; Sabah Progressive Party
(Parti Progresif Sabah) or SAPP [YONG Teck Lee]; Sarawak United
People's Party (Parti Bersatu Rakyat Sarawak) or SUPP [WONG Soon
Kah]; United Malays National Organization or UMNO [ABDULLAH Ahmad
Badawi]; United Pasokmomogun Kadazandusun Murut Organization
(Pertubuhan Pasko Momogun Kadazan Dusun Bersatu) or UPKO [leader
NA]; opposition parties: Democratic Action Party (Parti Tindakan
Demokratik) or DAP [KERK Kim Hock]; Islamic Party of Malaysia (Parti
Islam se Malaysia) or PAS [Abdul HADI Awang]; National Justice Party
(Parti Keadilan Nasional) or Keadilan [WAN AZIZAH Wan Ismael];
National Front (Barisan Nasional) or BN (the ruling coalition
dominated by the UMNO and includes MCA, MIC, PGRM, PBDS, SUPP, PBB,
PBS, LDP, SAPP, UPKO) [ABDULLAH Ahmad Badawi]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA

International organization participation:
APEC, ARF, AsDB, ASEAN, BIS, C, CP, ESCAP, FAO, G-15, G-77, IAEA,
IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF,
IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, MINURSO, MONUC, NAM, OIC, OPCW, PCA,
UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNMEE, UNMIBH, UNMIK,
UNMISET, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador GHAZZALI bin Sheikh Abdul Khalid
chancery: 3516 International Court NW, Washington, DC 20008
consulate(s) general: Los Angeles and New York
FAX: [1] (202) 572-9882
telephone: [1] (202) 572-9700

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Marie T. HUHTALA
embassy: 376 Jalan Tun Razak, 50400 Kuala Lumpur
mailing address: P. O. Box No. 10035, 50700 Kuala Lumpur; American
Embassy Kuala Lumpur, APO AP 96535-8152
telephone: [60] (3) 2168-5000
FAX: [60] (3) 2142-2207

Flag description:
14 equal horizontal stripes of red (top) alternating with white
(bottom); there is a blue rectangle in the upper hoist-side corner
bearing a yellow crescent and a yellow fourteen-pointed star; the
crescent and the star are traditional symbols of Islam; the design
was based on the flag of the US

Economy Malaysia